Insider Secrets of the AD100: Sources

Mario BuattaInterior designer

“I bought a Regency penwork tabletop chest of drawers from the Brooke Astor estate sale at Sotheby’s. I love anything done by hand, and penwork was drawn in ink to mimic inlay. The first example I ever purchased was a writing table in brown, white, and red, which I found at Colefax and Fowler in London in 1964. I have around 30 pieces now, mostly boxes and small tables. Every time I see another, I have to stop myself and say, ‘Don’t I have two of those already?’”

Alexa HamptonInterior Designer

“Stark’s Antelope carpeting is a staple, basic but with a lot of pattern. And Dornbracht’s Madison sink fittings with the old-fashioned hot and cold levers are classic—plus it’s a brand plumbers like to use.”

Jennifer PostInterior Designer

Suzanne KaslerInterior Designer

“Every time I go to Scott Antique Markets in Atlanta—held the second weekend of every month— I find unique items: maybe a fabulous wood sphere, great art fabric, or custom-made pillows. Really anything you can think of.”

JEFFREY BILHUBER
INTERIOR DESIGNER

“I don’t do flea markets—but I’m not one to miss a good church fair on a Sunday afternoon.”

Photo courtesy of Scott Antique Markets

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Thad HayesInterior Designer

“My favorite source for custom-made carpets is V’Soske. I love going through their archive of samples from the 1960s and ’70s. I don’t send someone from my office to the showroom. I’d much rather go myself because it’s such a delight.”

Waldo FernandezInterior Designer

Richard MishaanInterior Designer

“I often find amazing objects and furniture in Chinatown in New York City. And there is a strip of shops in Dania Beach, Florida, along U.S. 1, just north of Miami. It’s hit- or-miss, but I’ve found some seriously good things there.”

David CollinsArchitect and Interior Designer

“In Milan, Guglielmo Miani’s store, Larusmiani, has really handsome made-to-measure suits and coats. I am embarrassed to say I rarely buy furniture or become inspired by architecture in Milan, but in terms of fashion, the city is second to none.”

JOHN IKE

“One of my favorite antiques shops is Robertaebasta in Milan, which has the most incredible collection of 20th-century Italian design. It’s probably the best source in the world for Gio Ponti pieces.”

A display at Larusmiani. Photo: Piero Oliosi/Polaris

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Bobby McAlpine, McAlpine TankersleyArchitect and Interior Designer

“The savviest, prettiest, loveliest design store in America is Revival in Chattanooga, Tennessee. You might as well back your truck up to it.”

Photo: Sarah Dorio, courtesy of Revival

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Timothy CorriganInterior Designer

“The finest specialty wall finishers I have found anywhere are employed by Atelier de Ricou, just outside Paris. I’ve used them on projects all over the globe and they never disappoint.”

The atelier's decorative painting in a home designed by Corrigan. Photo courtesy of Atelier de Ricou

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Axel VervoordtInterior Designer

“I recently bought a beautiful painting by Kazuo Shiraga, a major Japanese artist, whose work is included in a recent show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.”

Photo courtesy of LACMA

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Jamie DrakeInterior Designer

“Palm Springs, California, is a fantastic shopping city, and you can have a great vacation at the same time. Modern Way has fabulous finds from the desert town’s heyday. Think Arthur Elrod, Steve Chase, and 1970s luxury.”

Photo courtesy of Modern Way

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John IkeArchitect

“One of my favorite artisans is Tara Chapas, a custom weaver in Brooklyn. Her textiles aren’t bright or loud but they still jump out at you, and they’re so great to touch.”

Photo courtesy of Chapas Textiles

Photo by Trel Brok

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David RockwellArchitect and Interior Designer

“Sri Threads in Brooklyn specializes in antique Japanese folk textiles, especially indigo-dyed cottons. It’s the ideal place to start when you want to create a unique color palette. There’s also an amazing antiques shop in the Saint-Germain district of Paris called Yveline Antiquités. It has a really eclectic collection of furniture, art, and all kinds of other objects, some dating back to the 17th century.”

EMILY SUMMERS
INTERIOR DESIGNER

“Always talk to dealers about what they have in their warehouses—there’s always more than what’s in the shop.”

Photo courtesy of Yveline Antiquités

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Campion PlattArchitect and Interior Designer

“The last thing I bought for myself was a canary-yellow vase made of Peking glass. It has a modern, almost Georg Jensen shape.”

Photo courtesy of James D. Julia Auctioneers, Fairfield, Maine

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Madeline StuartInterior Designer

“Whether starting a project or finding the perfect finishing touch, I hightail it to Claremont fabrics. They’ve established a reputation for offering sublime textiles that are beautifully made and unfailingly unique. I’ve created entire rooms out of their luscious silk jacquards.”

Thad HayesInterior Designer

“Sputnik Modern, in Dallas, always has nice things. There are many midcentury houses in that city, so a lot of interesting pieces have made their way onto the market. The shop also has plenty of Knoll and Joe D’Urso designs, including those steel D’Urso tables that are becoming rare.”

Photo courtesy of Sputnik Modern

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Jeffrey BilhuberInterior Designer

“A great tile source is Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery. When people talk in hushed tones about intact original bathrooms from the 1920s, Pewabic is usually part of the package.”

Photo courtesy of Pewabic Pottery

Photo courtesy of Pewabic Pottery

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Juan MontoyaInterior Designer

“Nothing beats the Marché aux Puces in Paris. But go on a Sunday because it is quieter and you can look more carefully.”

A table lamp, at left, purchased at the Marché aux Puces, in a room Montoya designed for the Kips Bay show house. Photo: Eric Piasecki

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Elissa CullmanInterior Designer

“I love the architectural integrity and versatility of the products at Remains Lighting. The beautiful finishes of the fixtures work in traditional or modern settings.”

Photo courtesy of Remains Lighting

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Robert CouturierArchitect and Interior Designer

“Antiques shopping in London is always fruitful. The rich were so rich and had houses so large that there is an enormous quantity of things available. Go looking for decanters and you’ll find 10,000, each as beautiful as the next.”

Jennifer PostInterior Designer

“Summer auctions at Sotheby’s and Christie’s offer fantastic opportunities because so many would-be bidders are on vacation. I got great works by Robert Motherwell and Alex Katz that way.”

A Motherwell painting hangs in a Manhattan bedroom designed by Post. Photo: Michael Moran

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Timothy CorriganInterior Designer

“I cannot go a day in Paris without a visit to the auction house Drouot. The range of items is mind-blowing—everything from Hermès accessories to museum-quality art and furniture. In the U.S., Doyle New York; Bonhams in L.A. and San Francisco; Freeman’s in Philadelphia; and Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York, often have terrific pieces—at better prices than you find at the larger auction houses.”